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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. key — in music
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. content — the amount
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. key — the most important part
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. mark — a trace
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. pass — a permit
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. content — happy
  17. last — final
  18. mark — a grade
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stand — to bear
  21. key — for a lock
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. last — to go on
  24. last — finally

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com